A synaptic mechanism for encoding the learned value of action-derived safety
Emma E. Macdonald, Jun Ma, Di Liu, Kai Yu, Rachel A. Walker, Michael E. Authement, Yan Leng, Hannah C Goldbach, Guochuan Li, Yulong Li, Veronica A. Alvarez, Bruno B. Averbeck, Mario Alexander Penzo
The paper identifies a thalamostriatal circuit mechanism by which internally constructed outcomes, like safety, acquire motivational value through synaptic plasticity in mice.
Nature Communications · Jun 4, 2026Peer-reviewedNeuroscience